As a commercial real estate firm that places heavy emphasis on core values and culture, it’s no surprise that the team we have built over the years is known for their outstanding character and genuine care for others. This is no different for Senior Managing Director Will Tober, who in addition to serving as a trusted advisor to his clients, has also spent years supporting (and founding) nonprofits in the Orange County region geared toward raising awareness and helping those in need.
A Steadfast Advocate for Tenants
On a professional level, Will has been tirelessly dedicated to his mission as an advocate for tenants since he joined Hughes Marino in 2016, striving to help his clients with their corporate real estate strategies and execution to support their business and employees. He was recently named Broker of the Quarter by the Irvine Company—the largest landlord in the Orange County—for his work negotiating five leases totaling over 82,000 SF on behalf of his tenant clients. This marks the second time Will has achieved this award, in addition to being recognized as a Broker of the Year for multiple years by the Irvine Company.
As a true “people person,” Will loves the relationship aspect of his role the most. “I love the relationships I get to form and have with my clients. It’s definitely the most fulfilling part of the business. I minored in entrepreneurship and have always been fascinated by businesses. I enjoy meeting founders and executives of companies, hearing about the value they provide to their customers, and finding ways I can help them achieve their goals through strategic real estate decisions,” says Will.
In addition to loving what he does as a corporate real estate advisor, he feels the same sentiments about working at Hughes Marino. “I love Hughes Marino, I love the culture, I love that they care about me as a person above my work product, getting cheered on just as much for personal milestones. Hughes Marino gets just as excited about growing families as they do for business successes,” says Will.
In addition to his passion for serving tenants, Will always felt a calling to help others. Prior to joining Hughes Marino, Will co-founded a nonprofit that produced a moving and life-saving documentary called “The Drop Box,” about a pastor in Seoul, South Korea, who built a box on the side of his home designed to take in babies who would otherwise be abandoned. Will has since joined the board of other nonprofits to continue serving his community.
100 Companies That Care
Most recently, Will co-founded 100 Companies That Care (100CTC), an organization that bridges the gap between nonprofit and for-profit companies by connecting Orange County businesses to facilitate corporate giving within the community. Will and his co-founder, Tyler Mounce, both had a deep motivation to help the community, and brainstormed ideas of how to get a lot of people to give a little in order to make a big impact. With inspiration from other nonprofit concepts, they came up with a model for 100CTC, which has proven to be an impactful success. Each member of the organization represents an Orange County-based company who commits to donating $1,000 a quarter to amazing nonprofits doing work in the community.
Members of 100CTC nominate nonprofits to be considered for the grant, and every quarter, three of those nonprofits are selected to share their missions and host a Q&A session—Shark Tank style. Following the presentations, the members vote to determine which nonprofit is the most deserving of the collective grant. “It’s an innovative way to raise funds where individual contributions are made significantly more meaningful because they are pooled together toward a few worthy causes,” says Will. Since its inception, 100CTC has provided grants to dozens of incredible nonprofits, whose missions have included pediatric cancer research, supporting foster and neglected youth, providing shelter to homeless mothers and providing equine-assisted therapy, in addition to many more organizations that are serving the community. “I’m so proud to be a part of a community that is committed to giving back to the many incredible nonprofit organizations in our own backyard and I’m excited for the group to continue to grow so we can make an even bigger impact,” says Will. Interested in joining 100 Companies That Care? Reach out to Will directly at will@hughesmarino.com or visit their website to learn more about how your company can play a part in supporting the community.
Will truly embodies the Hughes Marino core values both inside and outside of the office. He is yet another excellent example of a teammate who prides himself on authenticity, character and genuine care for the well-being of others. Will’s dedication to tenant representation, his team, his clients, the philanthropic community and his family is inspirational and admirable, and makes him a truly valued member of Hughes Marino.
